Beverage Cup Holding Device

ABSTRACT

A beverage cup holding device for preventing spillage of a beverage includes an annular panel, which defines a sleeve having an upper end and a lower end. The upper end is circumferentially larger than the lower end so that the sleeve is tapered. The is configured for insertion of A tapered beverage cup is insertable through the upper end and into the sleeve. The annular panel engages in a press fit relationship with a sidewall of the tapered beverage cup. The sleeve is substantially rigid and thus is substantially nondeformable. The sleeve resists deformation when grasped in a hand of a user, thereby enhancing a hold of the user upon the sleeve and the tapered beverage cup.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to holding devices and more particularly pertains to a new holding device for preventing spillage of a beverage. The present invention discloses a holding device comprising a substantially nondeformable and tapered sleeve.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to holding devices. Prior art holding devices may comprise flexible sleeves for tapered beverage cups which are designed to insulate or to absorb spills. Related prior art comprises protective sleeves for beverage cans, belt attachable frames for holding beverage containers, and handled sleeves for carrying beverage containers. What is lacking in the prior art is a holding device comprising a substantially rigid and tapered sleeve, for use with a tapered beverage cup, which resists compression when grasped in a hand of a user to enhance a hold of the user upon the tapered beverage cup.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising an annular panel, which defines a sleeve having an upper end and a lower end. The upper end is circumferentially larger than the lower end so that the sleeve is tapered. The sleeve is configured for insertion of a tapered beverage cup, through the upper end, so that the annular panel engages in a press fit relationship with a sidewall of the tapered beverage cup. The sleeve is substantially rigid and thus is substantially nondeformable. The sleeve thus is configured to resist deformation when grasped in a hand of a user, thereby enhancing a hold of the user upon the sleeve and the tapered beverage cup.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric perspective view of a beverage cup holding device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new holding device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4 , the beverage cup holding device 10 generally comprises an annular panel 12, which comprises rigid plastic, wood, or metal. The annular panel 12 has a thickness 14 of between 1.00 and 1.50 mm. The annular panel 12 may have a thickness 14 of between 1.20 and 1.25 mm. The annular panel 12 defines a sleeve 16 having an upper end 18 and a lower end 20. The upper end 18 is circumferentially larger than the lower end 20 so that the sleeve 16 is tapered. An inner diameter 22 of the upper end 18 measures from 80.0 to 130.0 mm, an internal diameter 24 of the lower end 20 measures from 65.0 to 110.0 mm, and a height 26 of the sleeve 16 measures from 50.0 to 100 mm.

The sleeve 16 is configured for insertion of a tapered beverage cup 28, through the upper end 18, as shown in FIG. 1 . The annular panel 12 engages in a press fit relationship with a sidewall 30 of the tapered beverage cup 28. The annular panel 12 is substantially rigid so that the sleeve 16 is substantially nondeformable. The sleeve 16 thus is configured to resist deformation when grasped in a hand of a user, thereby enhancing a hold of the user upon the sleeve 16 and the tapered beverage cup 28 and reducing a risk of spillage of a beverage contained in the tapered beverage cup 28.

In one configuration, the inner diameter 22 of the upper end 18 measures from 115.0 to 120.0 mm, the internal diameter 24 of the lower end 20 measures from 97.0 to 103.0 mm, and the height 26 of the sleeve 16 measures from 70.0 to 80.0 mm. A beverage cup holding device 10 configured as such would be suitable for what is commonly referred to as a “large sized” tapered beverage cup 28, as shown to the left in FIG. 4 .

In another configuration, the inner diameter 22 of the upper end 18 measures from 106.0 to 112.0 mm, the internal diameter 24 of the lower end 20 measures from 92.0 to 98.0 mm, and the height 26 of the sleeve 16 measures from 70.0 to 80.0 mm. A beverage cup holding device 10 configured as such would be suitable for what is commonly referred to as a “medium sized” tapered beverage cup 28, as shown to the right in FIG. 4 .

In use a tapered beverage cup 28 is inserted through the upper end 18 and into the sleeve 16. The annular panel 12 engages in a press fit relationship with a sidewall 30 of the tapered beverage cup 28. The sleeve 16 resists deformation when grasped in a hand of a user, thereby enhancing a hold of the user upon the sleeve 16 and the tapered beverage cup 28. The present invention reduces a risk of spillage of a beverage from the tapered beverage cup 28 and onto the user or the surfaces near the user. The present invention thus is anticipated to be of particular use for users who patronize drive through food and takeout food businesses.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

1. A beverage cup holding device comprising an annular panel defining a sleeve having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being circumferentially larger than the lower end, such that the sleeve is tapered, wherein the sleeve is configured for insertion of a tapered beverage cup through the upper end, such that the annular panel engages in a press fit relationship with a sidewall of the tapered beverage cup, the annular panel being substantially rigid, such that the sleeve is substantially nondeformable, wherein the sleeve is configured for resisting deformation when grasped in a hand of a user, thereby enhancing a hold of the user upon the sleeve and the tapered beverage cup, the sleeve laving a smooth outer surface and a smooth inner surface, the sleeve having a constant thickness between the outer surface and the inner surface wherein the sleeve is configured to have a low profile extending from a medial portion of the tapered beverage cup.
 2. The beverage cup holding device of claim 1, wherein the annular panel comprises rigid plastic, wood, or metal.
 3. The beverage cup holding device of claim 1, wherein: an inner diameter of the upper end measures from 80.0 to 130.0 mm; an internal diameter of the lower end measures from 65.0 to 110.0 mm; and a height of the sleeve measures from 50.0 to 100 mm.
 4. The beverage cup holding device of claim 3, wherein: the inner diameter of the upper end measures from 115.0 to 120.0 mm; the internal diameter of the lower end measures from 97.0 to 103.0 mm; and the height of the sleeve measures from 70.0 to 80.0 mm.
 5. The beverage cup holding device of claim 3, wherein: the inner diameter of the upper end measures from 106.0 to 112.0 mm; the internal diameter of the lower end measures from 92.0 to 98.0 mm; and the height of the sleeve measures from 70.0 to 80.0 mm.
 6. The beverage cup holding device of claim 1, wherein the annular panel has a thickness of between 1.00 and 1.50 mm.
 7. The beverage cup holding device of claim 6, wherein the annular panel has a thickness of between 1.20 and 1.25 mm.
 8. A beverage cup holding system comprising: a tapered beverage cup comprising a sidewall; an annular panel defining a sleeve having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being circumferentially larger than the lower end, such that the sleeve is tapered, the tapered beverage cup being inserted through the upper end, such that the annular panel engages in a press fit relationship with the sidewall, the annular panel being substantially rigid, such that the sleeve is substantially nondeformable and resists deformation when grasped in a hand of a user, thereby enhancing a hold of the user upon the sleeve and the tapered beverage cup, the sleeve having a smooth outer surface and a smooth inner surface, the sleeve having a constant thickness between the outer surface and the inner surface wherein the sleeve has a low profile, extending from a medial portion of the tapered beverage cup.
 9. The beverage cup holding system of claim 8, wherein: the inner diameter of the upper end measures from 115.0 to 120.0 mm; the internal diameter of the lower end measures from 97.0 to 103.0 mm; and the height of the sleeve measures from 70.0 to 80.0 mm.
 10. The beverage cup holding system of claim 8, wherein: the inner diameter of the upper end measures hone 106.0 to 112.0 mm; the internal diameter of the lower end measures from 92.0 to 98.0 mm; and the height of the sleeve measures from 70.0 to 80.0 mm.
 11. A beverage cup holding device comprising an annular panel defining a sleeve having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being circumferentially larger than the lower end, such that the sleeve is tapered, wherein the sleeve is configured for insertion of a tapered beverage cup through the upper end, such that the annular panel engages in a press fit relationship with a sidewall of the tapered beverage cup, the annular panel being substantially rigid, such that the sleeve is substantially nondeformable, wherein the sleeve is configured for resisting deformation when grasped in a hand of a user, thereby enhancing a hold of the user upon the sleeve and the tapered beverage cup, the annular panel comprising rigid plastic, wood, or metal, the annular panel having a thickness of between 1.20 and 1.25 mm, an inner diameter of the upper end measuring from 80.0 to 130.0 mm, an internal diameter of the lower end measuring from 65.0 to 110.0 mm, a height of the sleeve measuring from 50.0 to 100 mm, the sleeve having a smooth outer surface and a smooth inner surface, the sleeve having a constant thickness between the outer surface and the inner surface wherein the sleeve is configured to have a low profile extending from a medial portion of the tapered beverage cup. 